RSP vs SPY: which was the better investment?
Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF against SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust on real daily total-return data — every dividend reinvested, from May 1, 2003 to Jul 15, 2026.
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Frequently asked questions
Did RSP beat SPY?
No — measured from May 1, 2003 to Jul 15, 2026 with dividends reinvested, SPY came out ahead: $125,533 versus $119,853 from a $10,000 start. That gap compounds from a 11.5% annual return against 11.3%.
What would $10,000 in RSP be worth today?
$10,000 invested in Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF (RSP) on May 1, 2003 would be worth about $119,853 as of Jul 15, 2026, a total return of 1098.5% (11.3% per year). The same $10,000 in SPY would be worth $125,533.
Which was riskier — RSP or SPY?
RSP swung with an annualized volatility of 19.8% and a worst peak-to-trough drop of -59.9%; SPY ran at 18.5% volatility with a -55.2% maximum drawdown. Risk-adjusted (Sharpe ratio), that is 0.47 for RSP vs 0.51 for SPY.
What data is this comparison based on?
Daily adjusted closing prices covering May 1, 2003 through Jul 15, 2026 — the full period where both assets have price history. Adjusted prices include dividends and splits, so these are total returns. The page refreshes with new market data every day.
Can I change the dates, amounts, or add monthly investing?
Yes — the interactive tool on this page is pre-loaded with RSP vs SPY. You can set any start and end date, change the starting amount, add monthly contributions, or build a multi-asset portfolio and compare it against any benchmark.